Slow Horses season 6 cast: Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden star
It's time to return to Slough House, as hit spy drama Slow Horses returns for season 6.
This new run of the show is notable for a number of reasons. For starters, it is the first without original showrunner Will Smith, and it is also the first to be adapted from two of Mick Herron's novels, rather than one.
Merging the stories of Joe Country and Slough House, the series sees the Slow Horses having to go on the run, when Diana Taverner embroils them all in a fatally high-stakes game of retaliation and revenge.
Season 6 sees the return of most of the major players from the previous five – or at least, those whose characters have survived
Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden and Kristin Scott Thomas are all back, as are some stars who missed out on season 5, such as Joanna Scanlan and Hugo Weaving.
Meanwhile, Lenny Rush is amongst the new stars joining, and Olivia Cooke is set to return as Sid Baker, who was last seen way back in season 1.
But who else is in the cast, who do they all play and where might you have seen them before?
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Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of Slow Horses season 6 on Apple TV+.
Who’s in the cast of Slow Horses season 6?
Below is the main line-up for Slow Horses season 6. Read on to find out more about the cast and characters.
- Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb
- Jack Lowden as River Cartwright
- Kristin Scott Thomas as Diana Taverner
- Saskia Reeves as Catherine Standish
- Christopher Chung as Roddy Ho
- Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Shirley Dander
- Rosalind Eleazar as Louisa Guy
- Joanna Scanlan as Moira Tregorian
- Samuel West as Peter Judd
- Ruth Bradley as Emma Flyte
- Tom Brooke as JK Coe
- Jonathan Pryce as David Cartwright
- Hugo Weaving as Frank Harkness
- Lenny Rush as Reece Nesmith
- Olivia Cooke as Sidonie Baker
- Paul Higgins as Struan Loy
- Naomi Wirthner as Molly Doran
- Kyle Soller as Jim
- MyAnna Buring as Jane
- Harry Lloyd as Damien Cantor
- Lucian Msamati as Oliver Nash
Gary Oldman plays Jackson Lamb
Who is Jackson Lamb? Jackson is the leader of Slough House. He's a "brilliant but irascible" leader, who has a terse, barbed relationship with River and has a dark past.
Where have I seen Gary Oldman before? Oldman has had a long and storied career on the big screen, appearing in blockbusters such as the Harry Potter film series and The Dark Knight trilogy, alongside awards darlings such as Mank, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Oppenheimer. He's been Oscar nominated three times, winning Best Performance by an Actor a Leading Role in 2017 for playing Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour.
Jack Lowden plays River Cartwright
Who is River Cartwright? River is an agent at Slough House who was sent there for botching a mission.
Where have I seen Jack Lowden before? Lowden had a leading role in the BBC's War and Peace, and has since appeared in Small Axe, Mary Queen of Scots and Stephen Merchant's Fighting with My Family. He also had a pivotal role in Christopher Nolan's 2017 epic Dunkirk, and recently appeared in The Gold on BBC One and the film Ella McCay.
Kristin Scott Thomas plays Diana Taverner
Who is Diana Taverner? As of the end of season 5, Diana is the first desk at MI5, who has worked with Lamb and his agents in the past but is very willing to let them take the fall for her mistakes.
Where have I seen Kristin Scott Thomas before? Scott Thomas reunites with Oldman in Slow Horses, having played Churchill's wife Clementine in Darkest Hour. She's perhaps best known for her BAFTA role in Four Weddings and a Funeral, but has also won plaudits for roles in The English Patient, Nowhere Boy and Gosford Park, amongst others. She was made a Dame in 2015.
Saskia Reeves plays Catherine Standish
Who is Catherine Standish? Catherine is Lamb's former personal assistant, who quit at the end of season 3 but who was reinstated in season 4. She knows the ins and outs of Slough House.
Where have I seen Saskia Reeves before? Reeves is known for appearing in series such as Luther, Death in Paradise, Collateral, Silent Witness and Wolf Hall, as well as in films such as Nymphomaniac: Vol 1, Shadows and The Outrun.
Christopher Chung plays Roddy Ho
Who is Roddy Ho? Roddy is the team's tech guy, who is abrasive and uncaring towards the rest of the group and likes to stay out of the field.
Where have I seen Christopher Chung before? Chung has previously appeared in Waterloo Road and Neighbours, while more recently he had roles in Doctor Who, My Brilliant Career and the film Blitz.
Aimee-Ffion Edwards plays Shirley Dander
Who is Shirley Dander? Shirley is a member of the team at Slough House who has noted anger issues and problems with drug abuse.
Where have I seen Aimee-Ffion Edwards before? Edwards is perhaps best known for her role as Esme in Peaky Blinders, while she has also starred in Keeping Faith, Inside No 9, Death in Paradise, Detectorists, Luther, Dreamland, The Revenge Club, Believe Me and the film Mr Burton.
Rosalind Eleazar plays Louisa Guy
Who is Louisa Guy? Louisa is a former member of Slough House, who left the service at the start of season 5.
Where have I seen Rosalind Eleazar before? Eleazar has appeared in series including Breeders, Master of None, Deep Water, Death in Paradise and Missing You, as well as the films Uncle Vanya, The Personal History of David Copperfield and the upcoming Misty Green.
Joanna Scanlan plays Moira Tregorian
Who is Moira Tregorian? Moira is an administrator at the Park who was assigned to Slough House in season 4, but made her way back by blackmailing then-First Desk Claude Whelan.
Where have I seen Joanna Scanlan before? Scanlan is known for her roles in series including The Thick of It, Stella, Big School, No Offence, The Light in the Hall, The Larkins, Boat Story, Riot Women and Missed Call, as well as films such as Girl with a Pearl Earring, Kinky Boots, Notes on a Scandal, Stardust, The Other Boleyn Girl, In the Loop, Testament of Youth, The Bad Education Movie, Bridget Jones's Baby and Wicked Little Letters.
Samuel West plays Peter Judd
Who is Peter Judd? Peter is the former Home Secretary, with ties to Diana.
Where have I seen Samuel West before? West is known for his roles in series including Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Mr Selfridge, The Midwich Cuckoos and All Creatures Great and Small, as well as films such as Notting Hill, The Riot Club and The Gentlemen.
Ruth Bradley plays Emma Flyte
Who is Emma Flyte? Emma is the new leader of the Dogs, taking over from Nick Duffy who was left in a coma following season 3.
Where have I seen Ruth Bradley before? Bradley has previously had roles in series such as Primeval, The Fall, The Split, Humans, The Gold, Guilt and Ted Lasso, as well as films such as The Wonder.
Tom Brooke plays JK Coe
Who is JK Coe? Jason Kevin Coe, who goes by JK, is a member of Slough House. He stays mostly silent and just wants to be left alone. He has PTSD, which he keeps in check by pretending to play the piano.
Where have I seen Tom Brooke before? Brooke has had roles in series such as Game of Thrones, Sherlock, Bodyguard, Preacher and The Crown, as well as in films including The Death of Stalin, Empire of Light and Sense and Sensibility.
Jonathan Pryce plays David Cartwright
Who is David Cartwright? David is the River's grandfather and is himself a retired MI5 agent. He and Jackson have a dark past together, and since the end of season 4 he has been living in a care home, as he suffers from dementia.
Where have I seen Jonathan Pryce before? Pryce played Prince Philip in the fifth and sixth seasons of Netflix's The Crown, as well as as the High Sparrow in Game of Thrones and Pope Francis in The Two Popes. He has also had roles in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, James Bond adventure Tomorrow Never Dies and more recently in 3 Body Problem, The Thursday Murder Club and Under Salt Marsh. He was knighted in 2021.
Hugo Weaving plays Frank Harkness
Who is Frank Harkness? Frank is River's previously absent father, a former CIA agent and mercenary who raised a group of elite mercenaries from his own children.
Where have I seen Hugo Weaving before? Weaving is best known for his roles in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Matrix franchise and V for Vendetta, while he has also had roles in series such as Patrick Melrose and Love Me and films including Babe: Pig in the City, Transformers, Captain America: The First Avenger, Happy Feet Two and Cloud Atlas.
Lenny Rush plays Reece Nesmith
Who is Reece Nesmith? Reece is a young witness and key figure in season 6.
Where have I seen Lenny Rush before? Rush has had roles in Apple Tree Yard, A Christmas Carol, The Dumping Ground, Dodger, Best Interests, Doctor Who, Renegade Nell, Am I Being Unreasonable? and A Woman of Substance.
Olivia Cooke plays Sidonie Baker
Who is Sidonie Baker? Sidonie 'Sid' Baker is a former member of Slough House, who was placed there by Taverner to keep tabs on River. In season 1, she was shot in the head and believed dead. However, Roddy Ho surmised that she could still be out there somewhere and her death faked, which we now know is true, as she will return in season 6.
Where have I seen Olivia Cooke before? Cooke has had roles in films including Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Thoroughbreds, Ready Player One and Pixie, as well as series such as Bates Motel, Vanity Fair, The Girlfriend and House of the Dragon.
Slow Horses is available to stream on Apple TV. Season 6 continues on Wednesdays. Start your seven day free Apple TV trial.
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